Mining company IGO will use virtual reality to help find drill targets

ASX-listed mining and exploration company IGO is building a virtual reality platform to help find drill targets at its nickel, copper and lithium exploration sites.

Virtual reality will be used to navigate visualisations of the subsurface of exploration sites.

The 3D models are generated by feeding different geophysical and geological observations to Seequent LeapFrog and other machine learning and 3D-modeling capabilities that IGO has deployed. 

Geologists at one of IGO’s exploration sites near its Nova mine in Western Australia are trialling the use of virtual reality technology.

“Virtual reality will enhance geologists’ capabilities to interpret and assess targets in 3D,” IGO exploration geologist Erin Martin told iTnews.

"Despite geology being an inherently 3D science, many people including geologists struggle to visualise complex geometries and relationships in 3D."

Martin said the pilot would evaluate whether “experiencing our 3D models in virtual reality” would support the geologists' work together to test different theories about where “mineralising processes” occur. 

She added that "virtual reality will allow clearer communication" between the 3D mapping specialists and other geologists.

“The multitude of data sources that go into building a 3D geological model is clear for the people who build the models and work with them daily.

“But that data reliance can sometimes be missed when presenting a beautiful, polished 3D geological model to someone outside of the team, or a non-geologist.

"We believe that experiencing our 3D models in virtual reality will allow more clear communication of the data integration leading to our target development."